now the nightmare's real
by Cardboard Edward
Summary: Skulduggery Pleasant holds Valkyrie Cain as his world comes crashing down. Based off the LSODM cover.


Title comes from "Everything You Ever" from Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-long blog.

* * *

Fire and ash had stained the night sky red. The smoke had obscured the battlefield, and Skulduggery found himself stepping on the body of a fallen friend more than once.

But he wouldn't leave until he found her.

The smoke couldn't choke him. But desperation and fear each held a hand around his throat, quieting his voice as he screamed her name. His foot caught against a piece of wreckage, and he fell to his knees, dust and ash rising in a cloud around him, obscuring all that was left of their world.

He couldn't see anything.

He would never find her.

His hands curled into fist into the dirt, and his voice was a desperate, animal like howl.  
Skulduggery shook with what felt like sobs, silent and desolate –

And thankfully so, because otherwise he wouldn't have heard a small "Skulduggery?"

He stood so suddenly that his head spun. "Valkyrie?"

"Over here," a small voice responded, the last syllable cut short. He spun towards the sound, and snapped his palm to clear the air. A particularly large dust cloud turned heel and ran, and his path to his partner was suddenly open.

He made a strangled noise, skidding to a stop.

Part of one of the buildings in Roarhaven had come down – and trapped her, his partner, his best friend, his _everything_ beneath it. All he could see of her was her dark hair pooled around her head like blood.

"No," he whispered, unable to move. "No, no, no, please, no." He steadied himself and then took a shaky step, and then broke into a run.

Valkyrie watched him with dull eyes as he pressed both hands against the wreckage and heaved. It didn't move. He tried again, this time concentrating his air magic as he did, pushing with everything he had.

Her scream was deafening, but the building was off of her, and now she lay at his feet, body curled and looking wrong in the most horrible, disquieting way.

Valkyrie's eyes were closed as he picked her up, one hand under her head, fingers spread through her hair in a way he had thought of more than once. But not like this. Never like this.

"Valkyrie? Valkyrie, please, please open your eyes-"

They fluttered open, and he sighed with relief.

"Where are you hurt?" He asked, supporting her legs with one gloved hand. "I'll make it all better, dear, just tell me-"

Valkyrie gave a small laugh. "It's all on the inside," she replied, voice low and small. She coughed suddenly, body convulsing in his arms. "I'm broken."

"No, you're not," he whispered, cradling her closer to him. "You're fine. You're going to be just fine."

"Skulduggery-"

He tilted his head down towards her, slowly, feeling her tremble in his arms as he did. Gently, softly, he pressed his teeth against her lips and pulled back.

"There," he said, softly. "You'll have to get through this so you can hit me for that later."

She looked at him with wide eyes, and he swallowed with a throat he didn't have.

"Saracen," she started, and then stopped. He waited for her get her strength back. "He, he was right?"

"He usually is."

She shook her head slightly. "You love me?"

24 hours ago, he would have panicked. He would have said no, or joked, or changed the subject, fought so hard against the idea he almost wouldn't believe it himself.

He couldn't afford to do that anymore.

Skulduggery almost laughed.

"Of course," he answered gently.

She just looked at him with wide, dark eyes, her mouth opening and closing.

"I'm sorry," he said, voice soft.

Her fingers flexed for a few silent moments, pressed against her stomach, "Don't be," she said at last, and then her eyes closed.

"Valkyrie?"

No response.

He called her name again, desperation spiking his voice. Nothing. He let her down gently, felt for her pulse. She was still breathing, but she…

A small trickle of blood spilled from a corner of her mouth,

"No," he whispered. "No, no, no, no." He looked up.

"Is this it? Is this my _divine punishment_?" He choked back a laugh unsuccessfully. "After all of these years," he murmured. "After torture and repent and believing I could be a person worth knowing." He put both of his hands against his skull and convulsed with laughter.

He was still laughing when Ghastly found him. Skulduggery started from his stupor as his hand lightly touching his shoulder.

"Skulduggery, you need to-" he started, trying to pull him away from Valkyrie.

"Give me your knife," he said, in that tone of authority Ghastly had long ago learned to obey without question. The tailor handed it to him, hilt first.

Skulduggery pulled off her jacket, like a lover would, and gripped the knife with both hands, the blade hovering above her heart.

Ghastly grabbed his shoulder again, yanking him back sharply. "What the _hell_ are you doing? She's still breathing, we can-"

"She'll never make it to a healer," Skulduggery said calmly.

"So you're going to… what, mercy kill her?" It was difficult to tell if Ghastly was impressed or disgusted.

"Something like that," Skulduggery replied, kneeling. He saw Ghastly turn away as he plunged the knife into her heart.

Her body jolted, and he felt the world slow to a standstill. Watched her eyes twitch under her eyelids, watched the bloodstain spread through her shirt, with perfect stillness.

"Come on," his oldest friend said softly.

"Wait," Skulduggery said, and for a long moment there was nothing, nothing at all –

And then a pale hand clasped tightly around his wrist.

Ghastly jumped, swearing. "What? How—what the hell is going on here?"

"A miracle," Skulduggery murmured, as the girl stirred, rising slowly. He pressed a kiss against the top of her head as she calmly pulled the knife out of her chest and dropped it on the ground.

Ghastly stood back, unarmed, shaking. "What are you?"

The girl turned back to look at Skulduggery and smiled. He smiled back, though she couldn't see it.

The other mage's mouth hung slightly open. The Dead Men had developed excellent survival instincts, and it was clear Ghastly's had kicked in – though far too late, obviously.

Ghastly turned on his heel and ran, and Skulduggery laughed as he stood on his feet, shadows jumping up to meet him.

The girl let the Elder have a head start before flying after him, grinning.

A miracle, he thought, wondering why it took him so long.

A _miracle_.


End file.
